Corset-fastener



(No Model.)

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NTTED STATES PATENT Trice.,

RUDOLPH M. HUNTER, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

CORSET-FASTNER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent NO.363,393, dated May 24:, 1887.

Application filed January 12, 1887. Serial No. 221,153. (No model.)

.To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, RUDOLPH M. HUNTER,

' of the city and county of Philadelphia, and

n consists in certain improvements, all of which are fully set forth in the following specification,and shown in the accompanying drawings, which form part thereof.

Prior to my invention corsets have been made with the usual division up the back, the two side portions of the corset so divided being united by lacing from top to bottom. This lacing, being continuous from top to bottom, causes the tension of the laces to adj ust themselves according to the expanding pressure of the body inclosed. The effect of this has been that, as the waist is laced in for effect and is under the greatest tension, the tendency is to expand the corset at this part and ,through the running action of thelaces,tighten in the chest and hips. It is evident that when the waist is thus laced into the desired size the most dangerous and objectionable compression must exist on that portion of the body covering the lungs and heart. The respiration and circulation are thus affected and sickness results, producing palpitation of the heart and symptoms of lung disease, which ultimately, in many instances, develop into consumption, which is due to a carbonaceous condition of the blood primarily caused by impaired respiration and the consequent lack in thesu ppl y of oxygen so necessary to carry off the effete carbonaceous waste tissue of the system. Thisis the result of cramping the lungs. Again, the action of the organs of digestion are in a great measure impaired, due to abnormal inward pressure, preventing the ready assimilation of food and the free circulation ofthe lluid matters through the system. This also produces pains in the small ofthe back-a complaint so common to societyladies. rIheills of tight lacing are too well known to require further enumera tion; but in all instances the cause is the compression of the vital organs protected by the ribs and located above the diaphragm, and therefore above the waist. `In attaining a small waist the Hogarth lines of beauty so much desired are in fact lost.

To obtain the desired symmetry in form many designs of corsets have been made, and additional lacing-gores have been resorted to. Pads of all kinds have been used, and at the present time a corset suitable to improve the ligure is one mass of pads, and is very costly to make, and is necessarily made to order.

The object of my invention, therefore, is to overcome these objections. By my improve- Vment the waist may be drawn in to any desired degree without injuriously cramping the lungs or other vital organs. The inclosed parts of the body above the waist have every ample opportunity to develop, and the respiration is exceedingly free. The natural outlines of the body assert themselves, producing the most graceful figure without the least necessity of pads or other complicated struct ures.

With my invention any of the ordinary 4cheap corsets will impart to the ligure all of the beauty of outline desired.

My invention comprehends the method as well as vthe means employed, and generically consists in lacing theusual corset found in the market with two or more laces separatelylaced in the back to unite the two halves of the con set, one of said laces being used for the waist portion only, whereas the other lace or laces unite the upper and, if desired, also the lower portion of the corset. These laces arc prcfcr ably three in number-viz., one long lace for the upper portion, one short and very strong lace for the waist, and one short lace for the lower 0r hip portion. `In applying these laces the waist-lace is placed through a few holes immediately at the waist and tightened to the desired degree. The upper and lower laces are then laced through the holes in their respective parts, but are not drawn tight, being simply to keep the parts snugly to the body without pressure. The upper and lower laces may be .made integral, or may be formed of two shorter laces for the top and two for the bottom, and also, if desired, two for the waist. The essential feature is the independent lacing at the waist.

In carrying out my invention I have con.- nected the laces together, so that they may be properly used, and such connection may be made in any way desired. I have connected them to a plate, preferably short, though it ICO may be the entire height of the corset, if desired. I have made' this plateV with holes to recelve the laces, so that when placed on the market the laces are not only properly proportioned, but are insured to be properly located and the requisite strength of each insured.

The plate I have preferred to use is formed of copper and zinc, constituting, in a measure, a galvanic battery when acted upon by the moisture of the body, and as this plate is located immediately over the small of the back, beneficial results are apparent. i

In the drawings, Figure lis a rear elevation of a corset in use embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a front `and Fig.l3 a rear elevation of the preferred form of plate for holding` the laces. Fig. 4 is a cross-section of same on line Fig. 5 is a plan view showing the relative lengths ofthe laces as attached to the plate. Fig. Gis an elevationof a modified forml of plate. Fig. 7 is a plan view showing the equivalent of the plate in the'form of a clamp uniting the laces. Fig. Sis a View similar to thatl shown in Fig. 5, with a modified arrangement of laces. Fig. 9 is a rear elevation showing a method of lacing when the plate is made very long.V Fig. 10 isa similar view showing the waist drawn in bymeans of tabs and a buclgle, and Fig. 11 is a similar View showing the result of the method of lacing now in voguewith ordinary corsets. j

A, At are the corset parts, which are united bythe lacing B.

F is the waist-lace, and is made preferably very strong, and is used to lacein thewaist G as tightly as desired.

G is the upper lace, and is laced to the halves At of the corset very loosely, so as not to compress the lungs.

His the lower face, and is also loosely laced in position, so as not to crampthe hips nor interfere with easy movement. f

It will be observed by an examination of Fig. 1 that the body portion E E under the arms and the hip portionsD D both'swell out and unite at thewaist C in the most graceful Hogarth lines, which is the main aim of women in using corsets. The outline here shown is the actual result by this method of lacihs vIn the old method the result is shown in Fig. 10 in solid lines, the tendency of the waist to expand causing the lungs to be compressed and the-natural 'graceful swelling under the arms to be completely obliterated. The dotted lines on this figure are designed to show the contrast. Broadly, the method may be carried into effect without connecting the laces, but as an article of manufacture unconnefeted laces are out of the question when desirability is considered. I thereforeconnect them either by aplate or a-simple clip. (Shown in Fig. 7 If they were simply tied together, they "would still be within my invention. The plate' preferred is shown in Figs. 2 to 5, and consists of an outer copper plate, I, andan inner zinc plate,-lVI, preferably perforated at m and separated from plate I by paper,eloth, or other material, N, capable of absorbing moisture, to induce a galvanic action between the copper and zinc plates. The copper plate has its edges c bent over the zinc plate, and eyelets K, J, and L may be made in pairs for receiving the laces G, F, and H. As shown, the holes or eyelets K and J are at one end and those marked L at the other end, the space intervening between holes J and L being the space occupied by the waist-lacing,

'lhe upper lace, G, is made very long compared with the waist-lace For lower lace, H, the two latter being of substantially the same length. As a greater strain will in this form of lacing come upon the waist-lace F, it should be made very strong as compared with what is necessary for the laces G and H. The laces G and II may be made integral, as shown in l Fig. y8, the result being the same, as in any case the waist would be drawn in by an independent -lace or its equivalent.

lVhen the plate is made long, the laces G and II may be run through the plate and .corset, as shown in Fig. 9, without crossing, allowin g of very ready adj ustment. ,Such long plate would be additional support to the spinal column, which is usually unsupported by the back steels of the corset, owing to the open lacing.

It is to be understood that I do not confine myself to specific lacing at the waist, though it is the cheapest and most common sense method, as the said laces F may be substituted by any suitable tabs and buckles or their equi valent, as shown in Fig. 10, the essential feature of the independent lacing at the waist existing in such modification. I therefore de notlimt myself to the particular construction shown either as to articles of manufacture or for carrying the method into effect, the saine being capable of modification without departing from the spirit of the invention.

I am aware that package-holders have been made with a plate with a number of holes and a cord attached to itfor conveniently tying up a bundle, and also that galvanic batteries have been made with cords attached for connecting to the body; but I make no claim to any such devices.

Having now described my inventiomwhat I claim as new, and desire to secure by'Letters Patent, is-

1. As an article of manufacture, the hereindescribed corsetdace, consisting of two or more laces united together at or about their middle portions, so as to expose four or more free ends.

2. As an article of manufacture, the hereindescribed eorset-lace, consisting of'two or more laces of different lengths united together at or about their middle portions, so as to expose Vfour or more free ends suitable for lacing different portions of the corset,A

3. The. herein-described lacing device, consisting of the combination of a plate with two or more corset-laces united at or about their ITO middle portions to said plate, so as to expose 7. A galvanic plate formed of copper and four or more free ends for lacing different porzinc or their equivalent, with an absorbent for tions of the corset. moisture'between them, in combination with 25 4. The combination of a galvanic compound the corsetlaces attached thereto and adapted 5 plate With two or more corset-laces united at to hold said plate in place.

or about their middle portions to said plate, 8. The combination of the corset-halves with So as to expose four or more free ends for lac independent uniting-laces F, H, and G for the ing different portions of the corset. waist and upper portions, respectively. 30

5J The combination of a plate having three 9. The combinationof the two corset-halves, to pairs of holes, two pairs of which are located a `@,alvanic plate, anda lace secured to the said at one end and one pair at the other, with laces galvanic plate and laced to the corset-halves at passed through said holes,and thereby secured the waist, whereby the said plate is held over to the plate and adapted to expose free ends. the small of the back by the independent lac- 35 6. The combination of the two corset-halves, ing at the waist. 15 having the usual vertical row of lacing-eyes In testimony of which invention I hereunto near the edge of the back portions, with three set my hand. independent laces uniting said halves by being passed through the two Vertical rows of eyes, RUDOLPH M. HUNTER. one at the waist portion, one at the upper pory 2o tion, and another at the lower or hip portion, Wtnesses:

whereby one portion of the corset may be ad- E. M. BREOKEMEED,

justed wit-hout reference to the other. RICHD. S. CHILD, J n. 

